Heading South
by The Bates Shipping Co
Summary: The World as we know it has come to an end. People survive as they can. Evil men roam the land . With no food, shelter or a chance to rest, the only way is South. And it's on his way South that John Bates saves Anna Smith and their life together begins - Modern
1. Prologue

_**A/N:** And here begins another collab between Handy and Terrie! We are so excited about this story but also so nervous. Hope you all enjoy this new intake on Anna and John's relationship. Let us know what you think of this Prologue :) _

_**Disclaimer:** Downton Abbey's characters belong to Julian Fellowes. This fic is based on the movie 'The Road'. _

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_**\- Prologue -**_

'Put the knife down! Put it down, or you won't be seeing another day.'

The man trembled at the feeling of the gun against his temple. He heard the click of the trigger - it was ready to shoot. The commanding voice was too sure, he couldn't risk not to abide.

'All right, all right. Don't be nervous. No need for that, we can share.'

'Just do as I tell you. Let her go!'

He nodded then, letting the young woman free; the sweat gathering at his brow even on this cold winter day. Life was precious these days and could be lost in an instant.

'Take off your jacket now! Take it off! Give it to her. Do it!'

'I'll freeze to death!'

The tall, dark haired man held him by the collar then, fury written in his expression. 'Do you think I care? After what you tried to do, you're lucky I haven't kill you! Give her the jacket!'

He handed her the jacket and she put it on as fast as she could muster, shivering with every movement. Hardly believing she was safe...alive.

'Now go. Run! Don't look back or I'll shoot you!'

The man ran then. Oh he ran, without looking back...they would meet again.

 **xxx**

'Tea?'

She shook her head no, covering her cold hands with the sleeves of her _new_ jacket. 'Where did you find the tea?'

'I have some left...I make it last. Are you hungry?'

She nodded.

'Here, eat some.' He handed her a can of heated beans from the fire he had built just a few minutes before. The night had settled in, quiet, still, dead. The wind blew mild, the trees danced with it, a light snow began to fall...it was almost poetic. Morbidly so.

'What? Come on, eat,' he insisted. She was more than hesitant, sitting a good two meters away from him, all her senses on high alert. As they should be ever since. Ever since it had happened. The only thing she cared for - _trusted_ \- was the book she held to firmly against her chest.

'How do I know I can trust you?' She asked and he chuckled, eating a spoon full of heated chickpeas. Canned food was a luxury nowadays.

'You're still alive, aren't you?'

'Still.'

'I'm not one of them.' He smiled then, taking pity on her. 'Are you alone?'

'Yes…' she replied sadly, wiping her watery eyes before accepting the can he had offered. 'My brother...he died. It was only the two of us.'

'I see.' He watched as she devoured the beans, clearly realising she hadn't eaten for days.

'What about you?' she questioned, taking a pause to breathe between bites and hastily chewing.

'Only me.' He sighed, putting an end to the conversation and handing her a small blanket he took out of his backpack. 'Now finish eating and then you can sleep. I won't be leaving until the sun rises.'

'You'll leave me alone?'

He looked up at her, to see the source of her desperate question, almost sickly so, and not knowing how to answer that. 'I'm heading South. I don't know about you.'

'I'm just lost. I don't know where to go or what to do. I'd be dead by now if...if you hadn't saved me.'

He took some time to speak again, thinking hard about whether he should offer her his company - if he should allow her to come with him. Two are better than one, that's for sure, but what about the rest? If he died, he died. With her, if something happened to him she would be alone again. With her, he would have to keep her safe, and keeping someone safe in this time and place was nearly impossible to accomplish. In fact, those who did, were them. _Them_.

'What's your name?' he asked, trying to give himself more time to think.

'Anna. Anna Smith.'

She faced him straight, sure, her eyes almost pleading. _Please, don't leave me alone._ They were blue, darkening with every minute, with every blazing flame from the fire. For the first time since he had saved her, he allowed himself to take a proper look at her. Blonde hair in a loose ponytail, petite frame, pale skin marked from many days without a touch of water - like his own.

'All right, Anna Smith. If you want, you can join me.'

He saw her smile, and for a second his heart awoke in his chest. He thought it had deserted many years ago, but no. It was still there, beating, surviving, and now he was glad he had invited her to join him on his quest.

'And, what's your name?' she asked him.

'John Bates.'

'Thank you for saving me, Mr Bates. Thank you.'

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 **TBC**

 _Thank you for reading :)_


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N:** _Good evening, friends :D We want to thank you all for the support you showed us in the Prologue. We are equally excited and nervous about this fic. We hope you enjoy this version of Anna and John's story. You will notice in this first chapter that the updates will be shorter than usual but we feel it makes more sense this way, especially in this universe._

 _Let us know what you think! A new adventure is about to begin :D_

 ** _Terrie & Handy _xxx**

 **Disclaimer:** _Downton Abbey and its characters belong to Julian Fellowes._

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 **Heading South -** Chapter 1

 **x**

 _It had been gradual. Tremors, large and small, shook the land every day -and still did. Continents approached, some came together, others grew apart. Islands grew bigger; others disappeared forever. Then the rains came. For days, weeks, even months. Thunder and violent winds. The world became a dark place, under an impenetrable cloud of dust and ash. An endless night had settled in. The dusky light that did reach the land was barely life-sustaining. Animals died, perishing from the lack of a chain to follow, of light, food, the right to exist in the depths of human despair. Even people had lost the will to live. Those who did were only just surviving, only trying their best not to die at the hands of others. Mothers took the drastic step of ending their children's lives to protect them from something worse, and then wanting it all to end, took their own lives._

 _What remained? Dead trees in dead forests. Abandoned cities and villages. An everlasting cold. Silence. Numbness. Evil men roaming the land to enslave; in search of something to eat. And what was left to eat? You don't want to know..._

 **xxx**

'Anna…'

In her dream the sun sat high in the sky, it's brilliant rays warming her cheeks - memories of long ago. Memories which had never been hers. Mostly just tales told by older folk, by her father many years ago - those lucky enough to have known this world in its most glorious days.

In her dream there was a dog barking, birds singing, _his_ voice a tender whisper against her ear. There were green leaves on living trees, flowers, millions to be picked and admired. The scent of nature, of warmth, of a breeze, gentle enough to feel good, to feel safe.

In her dream, the only darkness was that of a night yet to come.

'Anna?'

'Hmm…'

'Anna, wake up. It's late; we have to go.'

Gently, he touched her shoulder, shaking her awake. It was later than he liked, than he had planned, but for some reason he hadn't the heart to call her earlier, she was just...so peaceful in her sleep.

'I was dreaming…' she frowned, still trying to remember what had happened the day before, opening her eyes to face him looking down at her. She sat up at once, searching for her book, which he handed to her immediately.

She smiled at him.

His hair was damp, dark, unevenly cut, and his beard had just been trimmed shorter. She looked around and spotted a pair of scissors on the ground, next to a steaming pot of water. He was tall; she already knew that - so much taller than she was - but only then did she notice the bright hazel colour of his eyes. Gentle, but furtive; a wild, tender soul.

'It's good that you were. Dreaming is good.' John smiled handing her a tin mug with hot tea. 'No eggs or toast, I'm afraid, only beans.'

'Believe me; I wouldn't trade these beans for anything in the world.'

'Well, you're lucky then! Beans are what we have to eat, at least for the next couple of days.'

'Thank you again, for everything,' she said, as he began to pack up.

'Just eat. We have to leave. He'll be back, and when he is, he won't be alone.'

'I know. I know that.' Anna nodded worriedly, sipping on her tea. 'It's still so dark.'

'It's dark, not late. Sometimes…' John sighed, looking up at the grey sky. 'Sometimes I doubt the sun will ever shine again.'

 **x**

'Why South?' Anna asked him as they walked down the snowy path between ancient oak trees and pines. Their steps had to be carefully made, their senses always on alert. Trees would fall without warning, lifeless, their roots rotten, especially every time the land began to tremble.

'There's a colony down South, or so I heard,' John replied eyeing the old map he carried, together with a compass. The backpack he carried was large and heavy, filled with necessary items. 'Near the sea. I'm trying to get there. I'm tired of living like this. Of only just surviving.'

'A colony? My brother told me it was only a rumour. That there's nothing there, just the hope of those who want it to be.'

It was hard for her to follow him. He walked fast and took long strides, no time to lose. The long stick in one of his hands helped him to step out of the snow. For her, it was more difficult. She was short, and she was weak...her breathing became heavy, her nose red from the cold.

'A rumour? Well then, you're wasting your time coming with me,' John told her shortly, stopping in his tracks. He studied the map over and over again.

'I'm a hopeful kind of person, Mr Bates, and I'm going with you.'

The decision in her voice made him look up and face her, and slowly a smile began to grow on his lips. 'Don't feel obligated to, Miss Smith.'

She smirked, eyeing him almost daringly. 'I don't.'

They continued walking after he decided the route they should take. The wind was strong, burning the skin of their faces to an almost frozen state, and the sun too weak to peek its way through the clouds and treetops. For years - many, many years - the days had been an endless twilight, as if a shadow had taken over the land, the sky, over everything that still stood, that still drew breath. And always cold, so cold. Winter reigned.

'Where are you from?' Anna asked him a moment later, her voice sounding loud in the silence - a piercing silence. The sounds of nature, the singing of birds had ceased to exist long ago. Nowadays, only the wind, rain or snow were the signs these days still existed.

'I was born in London, but I was living with my mother in Scotland... until a few years back.'

'I see...I'm from Yorkshire. Lived all my life there.'

'Here,' he told her, looking around. 'We're still in Yorkshire.'

'Are we?' she asked, quite surprised.

'Yes.'

'I didn't know…' She smiled, feeling almost comfortable to be in the place where she was born. Not that it made much difference. 'I was so lost. But then, I didn't know much apart from my house and then, the places where we stayed.'

'And where were you staying until now?'

'There was an abandoned house with a pantry with some food,' Anna pursed her lips to disguise her sadness. 'But I had to leave; I didn't feel safe after seeing some people around the area. Before that, my brother and I just tried to find food and a place to sleep overnight.'

'And when did he die?'

Anna stopped, thinking back on that day. She tried so hard to forget. In times like these, those memories were futile and only got in the way of things. Mourning only makes one weak, and when you're weak, you're easy prey. 'A month ago today,' she replied, cleaning away the trail of tears from her cheeks and holding the book she carried tightly to her chest. 'I still keep track of the time. I write down the days.'

'I'm sorry,' he said, turning around to see her, again, meters away from him. 'I didn't know it was so recent…'

'It wasn't bad.' She managed a small, sad smile. 'He was sick for a long time. At least he died on his own with me by his side, and not killed by them.'

'Yes. It's better to die that way.' He took a deep breath before resuming his endless walking - the map always in his hand. That's when she noticed the two pistols hanging at his sides, and a shotgun tied to his backpack. A fourth weapon, she could not see lay in the pocket of his jacket; that one had a specific task.

'Where did you get those guns?' she asked running to him, trying to keep up with is hurried steps.

'I was in the army. I was able to get some before leaving. Unfortunately, I've already spent half of the ammunition I had.'

'Hopefully you won't need to use it anymore.'

'I wouldn't trust that.' He smiled when he saw her by his side, and consequently he slowed down. She seemed stronger than he had initially thought, and for that he was glad. Maybe she would help him on his journey; maybe they could even become friends.

'Here.' John took off the scarf he was wearing then - old, made from wool - and wrapped it around her neck, bringing it up to her face and over her head. 'I don't want you to get sick,' he said, brushing her hair inside the wrap he had made; his gloved hands making the task a bit difficult. That made her giggle, and he couldn't help but chuckle.

'Thank you,' she replied against the woolen fabric, her breath instantly becoming warmed. John couldn't see her smile, but it reached her eyes, and he answered just the same.

'We'll slow down once we get to the road. I promise,' he told her and began to walk again, with her following a few meters behind.

To Anna, he was already her friend. More than that, he was also her saviour.

* * *

 **TBC**

 **Thank you all for reading :)**


	3. Chapter 2

_**A/N:** Good evening, friends! It's so nice to read how curious you are about this little story of ours. We hope not to disappoint and that you find it more and more interesting with every chapter :) Thank you for your support! _

**_Terrie & Handy xxx_**

 _ **Disclaimer:** Same as chapter 1. _

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_**Heading South** \- Chapter 2_

 **x**

'I'm so tired. Can't we stop? We've been walking all day long.'

It seemed all he knew to do was walk. In silence, with hurried steps, looking at that map and compass almost every second. Anna felt ignored, almost as if he tried to prove she couldn't keep up with him. Maybe that's exactly what he wanted...to leave her behind. To be alone. Not to have to worry about anyone but himself.

'We can't just sit down and watch the days go by, can we?' he said, without even looking back at her. John was getting tired too but thinking about it would only make it worse - he was trying to ignore _that_ , not her.

For a moment she wondered how he managed to take so much on his back. He was, no doubt, a strong man. Tall and broad, well built, but his baggy clothes gave away the weight he had lost in the recent past. Perhaps since he had decided to head south.

'You can be so...rude sometimes,' she replied, sitting down on the snowy path, crossing her arms in fury; the book pressed against her chest. Her feet too tired to chance another step. He was strong, but she wasn't, and for that she felt almost ashamed. The last thing she wanted was to hold him back, but at the same time, she hated him for pretending she wasn't even there.

'Rude?' John turned around then, shoving his walking stick deep into the snow. 'Rude?'

'Rude.'

'Ha! I've shared my belongings -' He tapped on his backpack, trying to make his point. 'with you without complaining and you tell me, I'm rude.'

'Sometimes you are.' She let go of a long sigh, adjusting the scarf he had given her more tightly around her neck. 'Giving a pence to a beggar doesn't give you the right to make him dance.'

Her words made him think. He stared at her for a moment, noticing her downcast posture, the tiredness in her features, her blonde hair falling about her face. She was right, but also wrong. He was only trying to reach safety, or at least, the mere idea of it. Here they were at greater risk...of everything.

'If I'm rude, you're too demanding,' he replied, almost tempted to laugh it off.

'What?'

' _Can we stop, I'm hungry, I'm tired...so on and so on,_ ' John stated, trying his best impersonation of her.

Anna furrowed her brow, glaring at him. 'I haven't said a word in hours.'

He nodded then, taking the bag from his back and placing it soundly on the ground. 'All right, it's getting dark, so we're stopping. But only because it's getting dark.'

'Of course.' Anna mentally pumped her arm, glad she had won. It wasn't that late, she could tell.

He shot her a look when he saw her trying to hide a triumphant grin. 'I had plans to get on the road today...you slowed me down.'

'You're being rude again.'

He huffed almost exasperatedly. 'Stay here; I'll gather wood to build up a fire. We'll freeze to death otherwise.' He pulled his ax from a strap on his backpack then and started to head off.

'Alone? What if-.'

'I'll be just there-' John pointed out ahead, to a pile of broken tree trunks. 'Don't worry. I won't leave you alone,' he said, kneeling before her and straightening the scarf over her head. 'If you as much as wink, I'll see you.'

His reassuring words made her smile, and he was the one to wink.

 **xxx**

'If we had made it to the road we might have found a car to spend the night in,' he told her as she shivered. These cold nights in the open were becoming too harsh to stand. The heat from the fire barely reached them.

Now, much later, pitch dark had fallen in, the high dead trees still standing tall stopping the faint light of the moon from shining on them. Only the teasing flames lightened the few meters where they had camped for the night.

The two sat side by side. The backpack between them, two cans opened and emptied. Anna had her scarf and was wrapped up in a thick blanket John had found once while travelling, and insisted she take it.

'I just couldn't walk anymore. I'm sure I have blisters all over my feet.'

John grimaced at the thought. He knew too well what those were...he had suffered the exact same ordeal when he started this journey. 'Let me see.'

'It's all right, I can handle it,' she told him, laying down on the cold, hard ground. 'I just need to rest.'

'If you say so…' He smiled, taking off his coat and placing it over her. 'Here. Maybe you'll stop shivering now.'

Anna sat up facing him, touched by his gesture. 'What about you?'

'I'm used to the cold,' he replied, looking up, listening to the moving tree tops.

'We can share,' she offered.

'Just take it, and sleep,' John told her, laying down and turning his back to her. 'Tomorrow we'll be finding that road no matter how long it takes.'

She nodded, feeling a bit sorry for him, but it didn't take long for sleep to creep in and take the better of her. The thought in the back of her mind; why did he try to be so distant?

It was only when he heard her soft snores that John allowed himself to open his eyes again. He sat up, taking a deep breath, and wetting his lips with the tip of his tongue. He fed the fire and warmed his hands over the flames. The silence of the night almost unbearable; a companion he was so used to by now. It was strange, not to be alone. To have someone to watch over other than himself - again. He felt somehow that it was his job now, to protect her at any cost, to make sure she was safe. If only he could do it properly this time... But he knew better than anyone else how life in this world was unpredictable - one day you're alive the next you're dead - holding onto things was a mistake, especially if _things_ were people. He knew...he knew and tried so hard to forget. He was still alive because the _gun_ hadn't work that day.

Suddenly she turned over in her sleep. Her mouth slightly open, her hair on her face. Though he tried he couldn't resist, and ever so gently, John reached out to brush the few locks away.

She was beautiful. The most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Younger than him also, he reckoned he shouldn't be staring at all. He couldn't help it. She felt almost mystical to him as if she held a power too strong yet to be revealed. Or maybe that was it, the same power that had made him risk his life to save her. Maybe it had been fate, maybe a coincidence, but he learned then and there that even if she wanted to part ways now, he couldn't let her.

He laid down then, facing her and he fell asleep feeling warm and content. Feeling hopeful. The one gun with one single bullet in the pocket of his jacket, always reminding him that some things are best remedied if they are over for good. Even that made him feel oddly hopeful too.

 **xxx**

She woke up by herself the following morning, to the sound of splashing water. It was him. He had washed his face and dampened his hair, and she wondered how he could take the cold. He caught her looking at him and smiled, running a hand over the lock that had fallen over his brow, brushing it back.

'You still take time with your appearance. That's nice,' she teased, with a yawn.

'I can't slack off now in the company of a lady,' he answered. 'Want to wash your face? The water's still warm. I found a small stream, filled up the bottle again.'

'You left me alone?' She sat up urgently, and although it was irrational now, she felt frightened.

He pointed ahead then. 'Just behind those trees. I could still see you from there. And then, I knew there was no one around.'

'How did you know that?' she asked.

He remained silent for a second, taking in the non-existent sounds of the forest. 'Amongst all this quietness I would hear a fly landing on your cheek.'

She smiled, relieved and rubbing the stubborn sleep away from her eyes.

'Tea?' John offered, handing her a steamy mug.

'Yes, and beans?'

'Yes. Beans...put the can on the fire for a bit,' he said, giving her one can and finishing the rest of his hot tea.

'Aren't you eating?'

'I'm not hungry,' John replied, standing up and reaching for his backpack. It was time to pack and leave. 'I'll eat later.'

'It's not because there's not much left, is it?' Anna asked, eyeing him carefully.

'No, but even if it was...just eat, all right. Today, we won't stop until we get to the road.' He looked up to the sky. 'And be quick. The weather won't hold for long. I'm afraid we'll have more snow coming down before night.'

'I won't hold you back today,' she reassured him, helping him up gather their supplies, but John could only chuckle at her words, and she couldn't help but slap his arm.

'I thought you would, at least, like to have someone to go with you,' she continued. 'Don't you ever feel lonely?'

'Better alone than with ill company…' he stated with a grin that reached his eyes, hoping she hadn't taken offence. The look she gave him made him smile even more. 'Although, I can't say that about your company.'

'Well that's good,' she told him lightly. 'I can't say that about your company either. Although-'

'Although I'm rude?'

'Exactly,' she giggled.

'I just don't want you to think you can get the better of me. Now, let's go. Oh! Here, a walking stick for you.' He presented it to her with a flourish. 'You can't complain now. We're even.'

Anna shook her head, only wishing that to be true. But she wouldn't complain, or at least she would try not to. The road was their target, and until then she promised herself she wouldn't say a word against it. And rightly enough, she was victorious in her promise.

Rightly enough...they were not alone anymore.

* * *

 _ **Thank you all for reading :)**_


	4. Chapter 3

_**A/N:** Good evening everyone! We are so happy with the support this fic has been receiving :D It's really great that you are all so curious about where we will take this story, and we'll try our best not to disappoint. Hope you enjoy this new chapter :) Let us know! _

**_Terrie & Handy xxx_**

 ** _Disclaimer:_** _Same as chapter 1 and 2._

* * *

 _ **Heading South -** Chapter 3_

 **x**

 _Unpredictable life. Unpredictable world. Words had never rung so true. The meaning of existence had never been...so meaningless. There was no rest. No peace. Sleeping could be a trap. Walking could lead one closer to them. Whatever you did, nothing was safe. Every noise made could be heard. No reckoning was ever forgotten. Ever. The world seemed darker than it had the day before. He told her that wasn't true, but still, it seemed that way._

 **xxx**

The snow began to fall, harder now, hiding the path before them. The storm was silent, numbing away their senses, their eyes, ears and touch. Frozen fingertips and toes, breathing was hard, walking even harder. They had to slow their pace, neither knew what could cross their way; a tree, a hole, people...but, all that was soon forgotten when John realised they had been separated by the white curtain that fell from above. He stopped then, his heart racing, his cold body beginning to burn with worry.

'Anna!' he yelled, sick with fear, calling out to her frantically in the blinding snow and darkness.

'Mr Bates! I'm here.'

She sounded weak, but not so distant. He stopped, trying to tell where her voice was coming from. His worry was causing him to lose patience. 'Why must you walk so far behind me!' he scolded, but the storm buffered his words before they reached her ears.

'I'm here.' She walked against him at last, taking a strong hold on his stretched out arms.

'Anna!' He took a deep, relieved breath, holding her by the shoulders, making sure she was all right. 'Don't ever do that again.'

'What?'

'Disappear! I want you walking by my side.'

She smiled as he straightened the scarf around her head - it was becoming a habit of his now. 'I didn't disappear, and you walk too fast for me. You have long legs.'

'Just…just don't do it again,' he pleaded. 'Are you all right?'

'Only chilled to the bone and tired.'

'I know, but we have to keep walking before we freeze to death.'

'Mr Bates, we can't see a thing, we'll get lost,' she told him; her eyes trying their best to adjust to the environment.

'No more than we already are. Let's go. I think the road is not far,' he said, taking her arm and placing it around his. 'Just take my arm, all right. I don't want to lose you again.'

The passion in his voice surprised her, and her heart answered in a way she hadn't expected it to, or at all. Anna was not used to feeling more than necessary. No one was, in this God-forsaken world. She took his arm then, holding it tight, and they continued to walk and hope for the best.

 **x**

 _Hope for the best…_

It's said, humans are as good as they are bad; an always tremulous balance, ready to fall at any given moment. Some step to the left, others to the right...it depends on the path they choose to take.

Some never gave a thought to whether their luck was someone else's misfortune. For others, it's that misfortune that makes them lucky. For that, some men are lost. Not in the paths they take but their souls. Souls that never got the chance to feel anything but hatred. No excuses needed. No traumas spent.

One such man and his companion followed the couple stealthily, from a distance, catching only glimpses of them now and then through a blast of snow. At times he thought he could hear their voices carried on a gust of wind. He couldn't decipher what they were saying. Not that it mattered to him - he couldn't care less. He was a man obsessed with one thing. He hoped for nothing but revenge and pain...and death.

 **x**

'I knew we were close!' John shouted, as his feet touched the hard and compressed concrete of the road. 'I knew it!'

'Finally!' Anna exclaimed, watching as he ran ahead, almost childlike down the road they had been searching for. Grey, dark, even more lifeless than the forest they had just crossed. Some cars could be seen, old, rusting away; memories of once a busy way out of this county. Memories of people going to work, to school, of Monday morning traffic. Life was so different now; for Anna, this life was all she had ever known. These cars, these memories had only been stories told to her.

'Look!' John pointed out ahead of them, interrupting Anna from her thoughts. 'A lorry!'

She ran to him, eyeing the vehicle eagerly. 'I've never seen a lorry before. Only pictures.'

'No?' he asked, surprised. 'Well, you'll be sleeping in one tonight.' With some effort John wrenched open the rusted door, peeking inside. 'Look, it has a small compartment behind the seats with a bed and all! Let's get in!' The excitement on her face after his words could be mistaken for something so much bigger. It broke his heart. What had this girl gone through before crossing his way? He was curious.

'Nice...it's been ages since I last sat down on an actual seat. Let alone a bed!' Inside, Anna couldn't help but touch and look at every corner of the lorry, mesmerised by it.

'Me too,' John sighed, sitting back in the driver's seat and enjoying the soft feeling against his back and neck. 'Stuff of dreams. Why don't you try the bed? It looks inviting, hmm? And there's a blanket on it. We can use another one.'

Anna nodded and jumped to the back, where a small, single bed was built in.

'I've never even been in a car,' she told him, her grin never ceasing. 'I didn't know they had beds!'

'Cars, no. But some lorries do.' He turned from looking through the glove box, scavenging for anything they might be able to take with them. 'You don't know much of the world, do you?'

She faced him and winked. 'I'm learning with you.' Her cheeky remark made him smile.

'You know how to write, and read…' he said, nodding toward the book she had placed safely between the seats. 'Who taught you? Your brother?'

'No, my dad did. He was a teacher, although, he never had the chance to work as one,' Anna replied longingly.

'I see. And what do you write in that book of yours?'

'It's a journal.'

'A diary?'

'Yes,' she smiled, biting her lower lip shyly. 'It helps me to keep track of the days. Not to lose my mind... I've written about you too.'

He looked up at that. 'Good things, I hope.'

'Well…' she teased, and he chuckled before she continued. 'This pen was my dad's; I'm always afraid it will run out of ink.'

'I have a pen…' John offered, taking an old pen of his from the outside pocket of his backpack. 'Save that one and write with this. I rarely use it.'

Anna took the pen, considering his gesture. It meant so much to her. 'Thank you,' she faced him almost teary eyed. 'I'll save my dad's then.'

'And even if it runs out of ink,' John added, 'you should keep it always. We need to hold onto all the memories we have from our loved ones.'

'And what do you keep from your loved ones?'

John peered out of the window, trying to run away from her question; from his answer; watching as the snow continued to fall and showed no signs of stopping. _His memories?_ They played in his mind, over and over again, always, now. _His memories?_ The gun he carried in the inside pocket of his jacket and that she didn't know about. That one bullet, that one shred of a miserable hope that was all he could get, all he asked for when needed. _His memories?_ A sharp sound ripping through the stillness, and then the piercing silence of nothing but tears and a shattering sadness, shattering guilt - so great, oh so great it made it hard to breathe. _His memories?_ Loneliness.

'What are you looking at out there?' she asked him a moment after - his reply had never come to be - and he realised then that he had been seeing something other than snow.

Something...something that wasn't part of the view.

'What- oh, nothing, just…' John tried his best to see beyond the line of the trees, where the road met the forest. Was it movement he had seen, was it a shadow? Nothing but a storm, maybe it had just been his tired eyes. 'Nevermind,' he said, eyeing one of the pistols tied to his backpack. If something happened, it was right within his reach. 'Let's rest, enjoy these seats…'

'I have to take my shoes off,' Anna protested to herself. 'My feet are frozen.'

'Let me see.'

'My feet?' She eyed him, unsure.

Her gaze confused him. 'Yes... what's wrong?'

'I once read about…' She hesitated for a second. 'Men who have this... thing for feet…and it's not the first time you ask me to see mine.'

John laughed. 'What? What kind of books have you been reading, Anna Smith? I don't have a thing for feet! Be sure of that. I just want to see if they're too bad.' He shot her a look then, purposely trying to scare her. 'Some people lose their toes because of the cold, you know.'

Anna looked horrified.

'Come on, let me see,' he said, moving to the back of the cab and sitting beside her on the small bed. Without a second thought, she did as he asked, leaning back on the mattress and placing her feet on his legs after John gestured for her to do so. 'Let's see…' slowly, he began to take her boots off, and then her socks, which proved to be rather painful to Anna.

'Blisters...bad ones,' he announced, his expression crumbling at the sight.

'Will my toes fall off?' she asked him, as naively as humanly possible.

He couldn't help but smile. 'Not just yet, and not while I'm around. At least I hope not.' His words although, didn't bring her any hope and he had to chuckle when he noticed her already mournful expression. 'Don't worry. They won't fall off.'

'Ouch!' she complained, as he tried to take a better look.

'I'm sorry. I'm being as gentle as I can.'

'I know you are.'

They faced each other. Her reply had come out too sure, too soft, almost reassuring him instead, that she trusted him in every way. They shared a moment of silence, different from any other they had shared until then. Tender almost.

'All right, let me get the first aid kit. I'll make you as good as new,' he said at last, reaching for his backpack.

Anna had never known a man's touch could be so gentle as he bent low over her feet in the near blackness of the lorry cab. The sensation of his warm breath on her skin relaxing her, nearly putting her to sleep.

Minutes later, she felt him rise from the bed. 'Put your socks back on and cover up now,' he said softly.

'Where are you going?'

'Up front. You get yourself a good night's sleep,' John urged her.

'You deserve a good night's sleep too, Mr Bates.' She sensed his reluctance. 'Look, why would you want to sleep in the front, _sitting up_ , when we can easily share this bed and _both_ blankets. Now that just makes sense.'

She was right.

He sighed deeply and bent to remove his boots, 'Shove over then,' he said, knowing he wouldn't sleep a bit.

 **xxx**

' _They're settled...let's get 'em-.'_

' _No! Wait.' He grabbed the other one by the sleeve of his coat, stopping him from stepping out behind the treeline they had been hiding._

' _Wait?! We can't just wait. We're not in any condition to waste these two. The others are running low, before we know it there won't be any left. What then, uh? And look, a female. We haven't had a new one for a long time. We could get some use out of her.'_

' _No...she's mine.' He had decided back on that one day, weeks ago. Now, he only needed an opportunity to make his words true._

' _Since when?'_

' _Since when I told you!'_

' _What about him?' the other asked. 'He's a big fellow. We could get plenty off him. Maybe sell.'_

' _No. I want him dead. I want him dead, and I want her for myself.'_

' _Let's do it then!'_

' _Are you stupid?!' he spat, smacking the other across his head. 'He's armed, and he's dangerous. He'd kill us in a minute. We have to get the others first. There's some roaming to do around this area again.'_

' _It's a deal then,' the other smiled, already planning ahead. The killing was something he took great pleasure in. But then, all of them did._

' _It's a deal.' John and Anna had encountered him before. Their fate had been settled in that very moment between saving a life and death. Everyone's fate had, for that matter._

* * *

 ** _Thank you for reading :)_**


	5. Chapter 4

_**A/N:** Good evening everyone. We hope you enjoy this new chapter! Let us know :D_

 ** _Terrie & Handy_ xxx**

 _ **Disclaimer:** Same as chapter 1-3._

* * *

 _ **Heading South** \- Chapter 4_

 **x**

Echoes of broken promises filled his mind even when he was asleep. A constant reminder of his failures, his mistakes, his undying guilt. His father's words telling him not to give up on hope, his mother's begging him not to quit.

Worst of all, he heard their voices every time he closed his eyes. Their eager steps running toward him. And then, a sharp crack and silence… a deathly silence, still and painful. So painful. Too painful…

'Anna!'

He woke up with a jump; her hand on his shoulder. The faint light of a new day had just risen; her eyes were questioning and worried. He had fallen asleep after all, after so many nights of restlessness and insistent distress. _Had it been her soft breathing right beside him?_ The inexplicable peace she somehow, transferred to him, in smiles, glimpses and even when they were bickering. Or maybe it had been the constant tiredness of the past months that had won its way over him. Whatever it was it had felt strange. Unknown.

'Are you all right?' she asked him, as John blinked away his dreams and thoughts.

'Yes,' he replied, sitting up and adjusting his eyes to this new day. 'Yes, I am.'

'You were restless.'

'I was just dreaming.'

She nodded, pursing her lips. 'A bad one?'

He shrugged his shoulders. 'Maybe...I don't remember...But I'm all right now, don't worry.'

'I do worry,' she insisted when he faced her. 'I worry about you. I hope you weren't too cramped sharing this tiny cot with me.'

John smiled. 'Believe me, I haven't been so comfortable in a long while. I managed to sleep, probably too much, but…' he rubbed his eyes. 'Why are you up so early? I thought I might let you sleep a little longer today.'

'Well...I...I really need to pee,' she said in a whisper.

 **x**

'You don't want me to stay inside but you also don't want me to come out with you?' John asked in a puzzled tone, as the two stepped outside the lorry. The day still freezing but at least the snow had stopped falling.

'I just don't want you to look!' Anna told him, glancing around, wrapped in one of the blankets she had taken from their bed. 'But I don't want to come alone either.'

'I won't look!' he rolled his eyes. 'I could have stayed in the lorry and you could have...done it behind it.'

'But you could see me from there,' she persisted, trying to find the perfect spot. 'What about that one car over there?'

'I wouldn't...Anna, just do it, all right.'

'Turn around then.' She faced him, waiting, as he stepped a few meters away from the car she had chosen to hide behind.

'Of course. You turn around too.'

'Why?'

'Because you're not the only one nature calls on.'

 **xxx**

'Are we all packed?'

'I think so…' John replied, looking inside his backpack. 'Did you get the bottles? They'll be good for when we find water.'

'I did. And the blankets from the bed.' Anna told him showing the one blanket she had around herself. 'The other one is for you. The big one.'

'I think we are set then,' John nodded, stepping out of the lorry and walking around it, while Anna still remained inside, trying to find any last minute items they might need. 'There isn't anything else worth taking,' he said, opening the door for her.

'I wish I could help you carrying all the weight.'

'If you carry yourself well enough it's already a big help.' He chuckled to himself, peeking at her from the corner of his eyes as he settled the backpack over his shoulders.

'Stop that!' She grimaced, facing him from her seat as he leant into the vehicle, waiting for her. 'I mean it. I wish I could carry some of the weight too...maybe I can, for a few miles and then we change off.'

'I mean it too,' he assured her. 'The bag is too heavy for you and with your feet in that state...are they any better today?'

'Yes, a bit.'

'Good. Just don't worry about it, all right. I take care of the course and the carrying.'

'And what about me?' she asked, shooting him a daring look.

'The questioning…' he teased. 'Tracking the days, lifting our mood.'

'Silly beggar...oh look, a...driver's license?' That caught John's attention and he motioned for her to keep reading. 'Gerald Johnson. Liverpool. Born in...2020.'

He let go of a sharp sigh, thinking back in time. Past, present, future. But his thoughts always went back to that one day, it was branded there, a motionless, frozen memory. How many years had passed? Sometimes he could swear it all had been centuries ago, at others, he felt like it had been only yesterday.

'What do you think it happened with him?'

Her voice brought him back and he faced her with determination.

'The same that will happen to us if we don't get a move on. Let's go, Anna.'

She nodded, jumping out of the lorry and saying goodbye to the comfortable bed they had slept on, not too happy with his reply. Especially when her throat began to dry up, and her stomach to rumble.

'I'm thirsty already,' she sighed, almost disappointed in herself.

'I know...There should be a stream not too far from here, with any luck it won't be too bad to drink. We can wash too. I'll build a fire and warm it up. Let's go then.'

'Will we follow the road?'

'Yes, it'll be easier, but off to the side…' He looked ahead, taking note on how much they would have to walk. 'On the road we're too exposed.'

'To them?' She was apprehensive, hoping his reply would be negative, but of course, she wasn't really expecting it to be. What else were they running from?

'To them,' John nodded. 'If we stay near the road maybe we can find a car by nightfall to sleep in. Also…' he looked down at his map. 'There was a village around here, maybe a day or two away, if we don't slack off,' he eyed her teasingly. 'Perhaps we'll be able to find an abandoned shop or house with some canned food.'

'Yes!' His words brought a smile to her face. He would hate it not to be true. They needed to find food, and quick.

'You're hungry?' he asked her a moment after; her stomach was becoming loud.

'A bit,' Anna groaned, rubbing her middle, trying to massage away the discomfort she felt.

'We'll walk for a bit and then we'll eat.'

'You only have one can left.'

'We can share.' He stopped in his tracks to take a better look at her. Sometimes he would forget how young she was, how frail she could be. Sometimes he forgot that she had never really lived, that her life was spent inside a house, hidden from the world, from everything dangerous. And sometimes...he looked at her and saw so much more than what she appeared to be. So much more than he ever hoped to see in someone else. 'We'll be all right.'

'I know.' She smiled at him. 'I trust you.'

 **xxx**

They walked in silence for a while; the stream their new objective. The road to the left, the woods to their right, breathing in mist and the remains of last night's storm. They had found a trail in between, where the snow wasn't too deep and the ground not so twisted. The contents of John's backpack rattling with every step. There was a stillness in the air, almost daunting, the scent of cold and nothing else filled their lungs.

It was rather sad, this kind of surviving. The only shelter they found was within themselves, within each other. To know they weren't alone anymore, to know that, for now, in this instant - not one second more or less - they were alive, living and together.

'So…you put me in charge of the questioning,' Anna voiced, maybe only trying to avoid thinking of her growling stomach, of her dry throat. Of that faint doubt in the back of her mind, she didn't even have the courage to think of, afraid he would know. She didn't want to doubt him. Not him.

'I sure did,' he chuckled, readying himself to answer to her questions. At least, like her, this was something to avert his own worries.

'You said, you were in the army, and I was wondering...what did you do? Were you a sergeant? Did you fly planes? Dad told me there were thousands of planes in the sky, years ago. Flying metal birds made by men that took people everywhere in the world, even to space! How wonderful! Did you fly one of those?'

Her childlike enthusiasm made him grateful for her. She had a way to warm him inside, even when he thought it most impossible. It was that power she held, in the brightness of her smile, the light in her eyes, in the strength of her very own personality.

'I'm afraid you're not hanging out with someone quite that interesting,' John chuckled, looking over at her to see a expectant grin playing on her features. She was lovely; her face covered up to her chin, loose hair falling from under the scarf. _She is lovely._ 'I was an engineer. Didn't go out much.'

'Oh! An engineer?!'

'Environmental engineer,' he added.

'That sounds interesting to me.' She frowned her disbelief at his constrained thoughts of himself.

'It's really not.'

She shook her head. 'Well...you don't look like...an environmental engineer to me though.'

'Don't I, now?' He cocked his eyebrow at her, curious. 'What do I look like then?'

'A General, or a warrior,' Anna replied rather dreamly.

'Ha! Why?'

'Well, you're tall and strong, and you have guns.'

'Engineers have guns too. In case a lady needs to be saved in the middle of nowhere after the World's end,' he told her with a wink and she immediately shook her head, disagreeing.

'I'm not a lady, Mr Bates.'

John noticed her sudden sadness, her eyes on the ground, a slight weakness of her posture. He wouldn't have that. Not anymore. He looked up at the sky then; grey, cold, never changing, before looking back at her, as she walked beside him, trying her best to keep up with his stride.

'You're a lady to me, Anna. And I have never met a finer one.'

And then, her eyes were on him, and her light had returned. She smiled shyly and he found himself holding his breath. 'And that's why I'm carrying the bag,' he concluded, trying to break the spell he had just fallen into.

'What else?' she insisted; her gaze back on the path they followed.

'What else?'

'Tell me more about yourself.'

'There's nothing more to tell…' His reply was short, and maybe a bit too harsh, compared to the way he had spoken just seconds ago. 'Hurry up.'

'I know there's more, but I won't pressure you... I won't insist. Not today anyway.'

'You're really curious, aren't you?'

'Well, I'm putting my life in your hands…I should know who you are.'

'You do,' John nodded. 'And I don't deny your right to ask, but some things are better left in the past, where they belong.'

'Yes…' Anna finally gave in. 'I do agree with that.'

 _For now._

* * *

 ** _Thank you all for reading :)_**


	6. Chapter 5

_**A/N:** The hiatus is over! At least, for this one fic xD How we have missed this! But it wasn't possible for us to update before and for that we apologize. We will try to post as often as we can, but don't count on a new chapter every week, at least for now. Hope you are still interested in Anna and John's journey through this world, and that you enjoy this new chapter :) let us know!_

 ** _Terrie & Handy _xxx**

 _ **Disclaimer:** Same as chapter 1-4. _

* * *

_**Heading South** \- Chapter 5_

 **x**

 _"I watch him sleep and I feel like an intruder. He's dreaming, I can see it, and somehow it seems like I'm dreaming too. All of this seems so surreal; not to be alone anymore, to be with this stranger that I already call a friend. Does he feel the same? Does he see me as his friend? He walks heavily, burdened by something he refuses to give away. I won't insist, but for some reason, although I trust him, I feel unsure. Unsure but never uneasy. He makes me feel safe, and whatever it is he keeps in secret...I feel safe. I feel good."_

 **xxx**

Hours had passed when the stream came into view; the clear, icy water cutting through the uneven ground. It flowed, trickling over rocks on its journey. It was music their ears.

'Oh yes!' John grinned, running as best as he could over the rough forest floor. Water. Life-sustaining water. At least, for a few days, they wouldn't die from thirst. 'Fresh water, Anna,' he kneeled on the ground and dipped his hands in, bringing it to his lips for a taste. 'And it's good to drink!'

'Oh thank God!' Anna was beside him the next second, one of her hands on his back as she leaned forward to take a better look.

'Here,' he took a tin mug from one of the outside pockets of his backpack, dipped it in the stream and, with a smile, handed it to her. ' ...drink as much you want.'

She took his offer immediately. It caused her to gasp as the sweet, freezing liquid washed down her throat.

'We have to refill all our bottles. There's no way to know if we'll be lucky a second time,' he said between sips, as he himself took the time to savour every drop.

'It's freezing,' Anna spoke sometime later; their three liter and a half bottles full. The wind gathering in the treetops now, whistling like a ravaging wolf.

'I'll gather some to heat up. We can at least wash our faces.'

'I wish I could take a proper bath,' she sighed, looking around after some sticks to start a fire.

'Me too...but this is good enough for us. And we need more wood. It's too late for us to continue; it'll be night soon, we should get some sleep.'

'Yes, you're right.'

 **xxx**

'Do you think we can get to that village today?'

'I sure hope so. If we keep walking at this pace, we might get there before it gets darker. Maybe we'll find some food there.'

Anna nodded, another day would be spent on yet another quest; now the village and the small hope to find food, and maybe even shelter for a couple of days.

John's steps were heavier, perhaps heavier than she had ever noticed. The backpack he always carried now held added the bottles water.

'I could carry more than just the blankets, you know,' she told him a moment after.

'What else there is to carry?' he asked, walking a little ahead. His feet burying deep in the hardened snow, his mind focused on the next place they had to find, as if counting steps helped to avert the harsh terrain; the staff he carried bending slightly from all the pressure pressed upon it.

But all Anna could do was to roll her eyes, not even trying to keep up with him anymore. As long as she could still hear him, she was good. 'If only you would let me help you more. I'm stronger than I look, you know.'

'Aren't you hungry?' he asked.

'Yes. I am.' _Was her stomach that loud? An always constant grumbling and rumbling, a discomfort that wouldn't let her rest or sleep. Could he hear it complaining?_

'There. That's why. I don't want you to faint or get sick. Carrying the blankets helps, a lot.'

'What about you? Aren't you hungry?' she asked.

'No. I'm good. Never been better.' John looked back at her with a smile and a wink, before returning his focus to the path ahead.

'Either you're crazy or you're hallucinating.'

He chuckled at that. 'Maybe both.' Words that didn't reach her ears.

They had to find sustenance, and find it soon. Anna's face was looking gaunt, her steps were slowing, and it hadn't escaped her notice, when she saw him, just that morning, punch a new hole in his belt. But John was a strong man and nothing could shake his proud stance and the fact he liked to pretend he was doing just fine, even if he couldn't fool Anna, not even when he had insisted last night, on giving her the last of the beans; she had known better than not to accept, and savoured it for both of them.

'At least, it doesn't look like snow. We got lucky again today.' John spoke up then, loud enough for Anna to hear.

'Yes…' she nodded, chancing a look up at the grey sky, grey lifeless trees, grey horizon; a world where colour was a stranger. 'Do you remember the sun?'

'The sun?' He was surprised by her question. 'I do…'

'What was it like?'

'Well…' How could he answer that? 'Warm….' His thoughts gathered for a better reply, memories taking him back in time, as so often happened. He stopped for a few seconds; she waited behind him, not knowing what to expect. 'It was life. It touched you gently in the first hours of dawn, warmed your skin like...like a caress. It painted the world in the most beautiful colour. Everything became vivid, deep.'

'It does sound amazing.' Anna sighed, trying to imagine it all.

'Oh, it was. And I'm afraid we took it for granted,' he continued to walk again; she followed. 'Just like everything else.'

'Why do you think this all happened? What have we done to deserve this?'

'We did everything wrong, Anna. We became too selfish, closed in our little worlds, with our little problems. _We can save up later, we can fix that another day_...then, it was too late. Humans have a tendency for disaster, for self destruction. We are too self centered, too _it only happens with others_ ; it doesn't.'

'Father once told me all this was a punishment.'

'It was, still is. We missed our wake up calls too many times. We lost our freedom without even knowing it. There were wars over everything and nothing. For a piece of land, for a drop of oil...people were made to flee their homes, to leave everything behind. We spent too much on everything and everything became scarce. There was famine, disease, people dying at shore for a safe place on land. We always thought we were too high, too important, and now, we are being shown we are nothing. And the worse part is, the ones that should have truly be punished are dead. You, people born with no choice but to live like this now, have no blame in what happened.'

'And what about them?' Another question that took him by surprise; Anna was good at those. 'Most of them were born after it happened too...Does it mean that people haven't changed, at all? Why do they like the way things are now? Didn't they learn anything?'

'Well...There are two natures to the human spirit, Anna; a good and a bad one. We all have both. What matters is which of them we choose to feed. Do we feed the mouth that poisons our thoughts, or the one that whispers gentle words of compassion and acceptance into our hearts?'

'And... they chose to be bad?'

'Exactly.'

'Why?'

He stopped once more, this time just to look at her. Her eyes were expectant, sure he knew the answer. He didn't. No one did. No one ever would.

'I suppose it's easier.' He hoped that reply would do, but not even John thought that was a good excuse.

'Why did you save me then? It would have been so much easier on you if you had just walked by and done nothing, let him take me and continue your quest alone, with no one else to worry about, to feed, to slow you down.'

'I am a complicated man,' John joked with a self depreciative smile. 'I like to put myself in difficult situations.'

'No.' She smiled back, optimistic, hopeful, erasing his doubts in a way he couldn't begin to understand. 'You are the good part of that human spirit you talked about. You are the hope this new _World_ needs. Maybe one day, we'll look back to history once again and see a new age rebuilt over the back of the few men, like you, who I'm sure are out there still, maybe waiting for you in that place you dream about.'

Her words had been like that caress he had talked about, but instead of a warm light kissing his skin, it had been her soft voice and bright, blue eyes, so sure, so trusting, he dared himself to believe, if only for a half a second. 'I'm afraid I'm a lost cause at this point.' He shook his head, coming to his senses. He was far from making his own story, let alone anything else. 'I'm too old and tired to make any kind of _History_.'

'I'll tell my children you said that, and tell them I knew then you were wrong.' she teased him, as she adjusted the stack of blanket she carried, almost bigger than herself.

'Your children?' His eyes were on her, confused.

'I was joking...it's just a way of saying.'

He nodded. 'Yeah. Let's keep up, we are slowing down again.'

'John?'

'Hm?'

'Where you married?'

A moment of silence. Their steps matching. Their breathing heavy and cold.

'I was.'

'And...did you have children?'

Another moment of silence. He cleared his throat this time. She daren't face him.

'I did.'

'I'm sorry.'

'It's all right.'

And just like that, the village came in sight.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading :)**


	7. Chapter 6

_**A/N:** Hello there, a million years after the last update! We want to apologise for all this waiting and we hope you're still interested in this story. We won't promise updates anymore, we will have them, but we are not saying there will be some soon. We're trying to get things back on track after a lot of setbacks, but we're still taking things slow. We are finishing all fics, that's for sure! So now, all we can say is, we really hope you enjoy this new chapter and look forward to the next :) let us know!_

 _ **Ps:** As for Blessed (our other fic) because it's so much longer than this one and with so many characters we are taking more time to get to it. We want to be sure everyone (the characters) are written fairly to their original personas and for that we have to sit down, read everything we have again, and organise our thoughts and notes. It will happen, but we are not saying when (when we do we can never keep out word ;P)_

 ** _Terrie and Handy_ xXx **

_**Disclaimer:** Same as chapter 1-5. _

* * *

_**Heading South** \- Chapter 6_

 **x**

The first thing they saw were the rooftops of falling houses; most walls barely standing, nothing more than shadows of what was once a countryside village by the edge of the river, haunted like, as an ancient ruin.

'Welcome To Downton'

John didn't recognise much anymore.

They walked through the road that led to the square - into the centre - looking from side to side in search of something not even they could quite grasp; maybe someone was still living here, someone resilient enough to have survived. Unfortunately, for John, this wasn't an unusual sight. He had stopped in many villages before, to gather what he could and to somehow keep his sanity. To see what was once a sign of life and prosperity, even if now he could find nothing but emptiness. Especially here, in a place that had once been a second home to him.

For Anna it was different. She had never really been in a village, or town, or city, only running from one isolated house to another, never witnessing technology or human society; she had been born after those things began to shatter, and when she was old enough to remember herself, those same things had been gone for good.

John walked sure now - she could see the contentment on his features - and although she had been excited about this so called village before, at the moment she found herself dreading it. Maybe it was the blowing, tattered curtains that still remained in some broken windows, looking too much like ghosts, following their every step. Or maybe it was the silence, the feeling of abandonment, of life interrupted. What had happened here, between the rusting cars and rotting wooden benches? Within the old ruins of an old religious building, or that café on the corner, with its doors banging in the wind as if someone had just walked through them.

'Are you religious?' he asked, noticing how her pace had slowed as they walked by the church.

'I am. Mum was, and I guess she passed that onto me.' Anna smiled feeling nostalgic. 'She taught me everything about it. It's what gave her hope, and I suppose it works with me too. And you?'

'No. I'm not. Even though mother did try,' he chuckled. 'I'm afraid I was too stubborn, too proud, to believe in a higher power.'

'Oh, you still are,' she teased.

'Yes...still am.' John smiled to himself, feeling somewhat glad that she already knew him so well, but when he looked over to tell her just that, he noticed that she had fallen quiet again. 'Are you all right? ' he asked, worried.

'Oh yes. It's just…' Anna sighed, pursing her lips. 'I've never been in a...village before. Or any other...how can I say…?'

'You never left your house, and when you did you never came across a village or town.' John stated, knowing exactly what she meant.

' Exactly.'

'Well…' He stopped in his tracks, right in the centre of the village square, looking around to situate himself as he had done so many times before. She watched him. 'You don't know much about the world, Miss Smith, but you sure know about me.' He smiled then, trying his best to cheer her up. He found that when she fell quiet and discouraged he felt the need to lift her spirits, as if her mood altered his own. 'I'll show you what you don't know yet. I only wish I could have done so when the world was a better place.'

'I don't know different so, to me, here with you, it's a good place.'

There was a moment of silence then, shared smiles and a sudden sense of calm, just before they found themselves locked in each other's gaze. John cleared his throat, and Anna looked down at her feet. It was a strange feeling, one that made their ears burn but put their hearts at ease, as unlikely as that was.

'Come on,' he said, at last, trying to regain the thoughts he'd had just moments before. 'Let's see if we can find food. And maybe we can get into one of the houses later and spend the night there.'

She nodded and followed him.

 **xxx**

They didn't have to search much. There was a shop just around the corner of that one big, white house, where the windows remained shut, and an English flag still blew, tattered from the rooftop. Marked by time and storm. Evidence of a failed attempt to keep this, or any other country standing strong and glorious. Those days were lost. Pride had been lost. Everything...lost...

'Won't we go in?'

Anna spoke, long minutes after they stopped before the local supermarket. Something wasn't right. The sign on the door read 'Closed' and indeed that was the state of the building. Closed, barely damaged by burglars and starving people.

'The glass isn't broken…' He told her, worriedly. 'Looks rather tidy inside. I wonder why?'

'What do you mean?'

'What happened to this people? What didn't give them the time to take this place by storm as their last resource?' He feared for the worse and hoped for the best. Many of these people...he had known them.

His words made her tremble. She wouldn't have noticed such detail if she had been alone, but now, the sight of the place in better shape than what they had seen of the village scared her more than any other ghost like building or house. And then, the fact that he reached for his rifle made it even worse.

'Let's go in, but carefully.'

She followed him again. Into dust and a deep stink of mould.

 **xxx**

'Looks safe,' John stated, hooking the strap of the rifle over his shoulder. 'Let's find food!'

It didn't take them long to find the aisle of canned goods, the only goods they could actually eat. Beans, vegetables, even fruit, and cans of mushy meat. For them, this was more than a feast. They grabbed paper bags they found lying on the floor and filled them to the brim, already planning the next trip to this shop the following day.

'Maybe we can find another backpack or even a big bag, and we can take more food with us,' Anna said with a big smile.

'Now that would be grand!' He replied. 'And you would feel better, wouldn't you?'

'I certainly would!'

Her answer made him smile before he turned the corner into the next aisle. 'I found the hygiene aisle,' he called out.

'I'm going to grab a couple more cans of these peaches. I only had peaches once before. I really liked them...what's that?'

'Tampons,' John said, looking carefully at the package. 'I don't think these have an expiration date, do they? They should be handy for you.' He eyed her for a second and then turned back to the shelf where he had found the feminine items. 'Maybe we should take all of these, hm?'

'I…' Anna stammered, not knowing how or what to respond.

'You know what these are, don't you?' Hoping against hope he didn't have to explain this to her.

'Yes, I do but...I never used them. I wouldn't even…'

John cleared his throat, feeling more than a bit awkward now. 'Well, they have instructions...' He went silent for a moment, thinking of a good way to put his next question. 'You have...you know...do't you?'

'Sometimes.' She nodded, gazing down at the cans of peaches in her hands, trying her best not to look at him. 'Not regular like''

'All right...or do you prefer pads?' he offered, attempting to make this conversation as normal as possible. ears and cheeks were red, he noticed, but then, he felt his own burn too. She didn't say a word, so he put an end to the subject. 'We'll take both then. Done.' And with an awkward grin, he grabbed both tampon and pad packages inside one of the paper bags, closed it and handed it to her.

'Thank you,' she said.

'You're welcome.' He winked, and her smile was back again; shy though it was.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading :)**


	8. Chapter 7

_**A/N:** Hello there, a week after the last update! xD (go us!)_

 _We hope you are all doing well and having a good weekend :) Let us know if you are enjoying this story. Enjoy!_

 _ **Terrie & Handy** xXx_

 _ **Disclaimer:** Same as chapter 1-6._

* * *

 _ **Heading South -** Chapter 7_

 **x**

Bags in hand, filled with all the necessities they could think of - and still use - John and Anna set route to one of the shuttered houses, hoping to find a comfortable enough place to spend the fast approaching night; though he already had a particular one in mind. They walked in silence around the square, taking notice of an old children's park rusting away, forgotten of everything that was once life and games; nature had no will to grow there, not that it mattered now. All signs of life were long gone. But was that really the case? What about those - like them - whose hope remained, if only by a thin thread? Would it matter for them to see a blooming flower or a fresh green sprout growing from one of these old tree trunks?

In the distance, a once proud castle now stood like a shipwreck at the bottom of a dark, raging sea. No more tours or children running from garden to garden in hopes to revive its grand, old days.

'This one?' Anna asked, pointing to a house that looked in better shape than all the others, but John shook his head no, to her surprise.

'That one.' he offered, gesturing to the end of the street - paint eaten by time, windows covered with sheets of plywood. He couldn't have chosen a more desolate looking house.

'Why that one?' she asked him, puzzled.

'I...I have a good feeling about it. Let's go.'

So she followed him like she always did.

Inside, there wasn't much to see, unless old, broken furniture was something new to behold. A few photographs still hung on the walls, memories of a family of five, growing by the year. Children, grandchildren, a dog...

'I wonder what happened to them?' Anna spoke as she travelled from one frame to another, fingers almost tentative to touch the faces of those who had lived there.

'There's not much to wonder…' she heard John sigh from a dark corner of the room, his voice no more than a whisper. 'If they're not here...' it trailed off.

'You think _they_ took them?'

'It wouldn't surprise me,' he replied, angrier than usual, sadder too. Anna wondered why. 'And that's exactly why we can't stay for long.'

'But, if they were here before, they know no one's around. So, maybe,' she reasoned, 'we're safe... They wouldn't look where they looked before, would they?' Anna thought aloud, turning John's frown into a soft smile.

'I'm impressed. You're right.'

'And me, being right, impresses you?' she offered, in teasing manner.

'No. It doesn't. Only... the way you think.'

Anna nodded feeling somewhat victorious. They had entered the kitchen by then. Empty, dusty, as deserted as everything else. A staircase to their right led to an upper floor.

'Let's see upstairs?' she asked, knowing full well he would be the one to decide if it was safe or not. He did, gesturing for her to go ahead.

'You first.'

Upstairs, they faced a corridor, with four doors in total; one big window at the far end. It was dark, but the breaches between the boards gave them enough light to make out the way.

'Oh, I hope they have a tub! You think there's water?'

'Well, most of these villages used reservoirs, so maybe,' he said, hopefully, mostly because of her. 'If the pipes are still working.'

They worked their way down the hall, opening doors and peering inside. Two bedrooms on the right. To the left, a master bedroom; its closet door flung wide still with some clothes, and an old clock on one of the nightstands struck eleven forty without any other choice. John held back, suddenly feeling intrusive. A deep melancholy momentarily froze him in place.

'Ah, the bathroom!' Anna called from the next room, 'and a tub!'

Shaken from his reverie, John smiled at her excitement. As he had felt doing so many times before; her energy through him, almost as if making sure he would not weaken. For him, for herself, for both of them.

She stood at the doorway, her hands together in a praying manner as he stepped around her and tried the tap. For a moment there was silence, then the sound of pipes banging inside the walls and then...

'Good news! There's water!'

 **xxx**

Soon after, there was a big pot of water heating up over a freshly lit fire in the hearth. Sitting near it, was Anna, warming her hands and feet and waiting expectantly for her bath. On the floor, beside her, were cans of food ready to be opened; their dinner this night. Anna felt safe for the first time she could remember.

'Won't you join me? Aren't you cold?' she shouted, looking up to the sound of his footsteps on the upper floor.

'I'm fine. I'll be down in a minute,' he answered back, his muffled voice barely making its way to her. But she smiled nonetheless, glad she was here, _with him_. Looking forward to when he would join her by the fire.

Upstairs, John's mind was on something else as, or maybe, even more, important than to regain his body heat. It was on a letter he had found a few minutes before and that now held between his trembling fingers. A letter he was afraid to read.

 _'To John Bates, or whoever finds it first...'_

 **x**

 **Thank you all for reading :)**


	9. Chapter 8

_**Disclaimer:** Same as chapter 1 - 7. _

* * *

**_Heading South -_** _Chapter 8_

 **x**

'What took you so long?'

'I was just looking around. Making sure we're safe here.' It wasn't a lie, nor was it all the truth. John had spent long minutes upstairs, dwelling on the letter he had found. A letter he had hoped for, and maybe the simple fact it existed was good enough. But still, it had been hard, the first words... even more, to continue to read.

'How's the water?' he asked, hoping she wouldn't question him further.

'Almost boiling.' Anna replied as he stood behind her, wondering if he was doing the right thing by not telling her. She still sat on the floor, looking forward her bath, dinner, a night well slept.

'Good...we...we should move a mattress down here.'

'Down here?' she faced him, perplexed. 'Why?'

'To be near the fire. Also, if something goes wrong, it's better to be downstairs. Easier to run.'

'Always alert,' She offered, trying to lighten up his mood. It didn't work.

'There's no other way around it. Unfortunately,' John sighed. 'There are clothes upstairs, and some should fit you. If you want to change after your bath.'

'Oh, yes! And you? You'll take a bath too, won't you? Shouldn't you put some water heating up for you too?'

Now, there was something that would always catch him unaware; her genuine excitement over the simplest of things. He was able to smile then. 'No need to take the time. I'll wash with your water. Now, what I really need is a haircut.'

'I can do that for you.'

'All right,' John nodded. 'Let's bring the mattress down first, and then you can have your bath.'

'It's a deal!' Anna exclaimed, jumping up and walking with him to the stairs.

 **xxx**

'Be still' Anna rolled her eyes for the third time in the last five minutes. Freshly out of her bath, damp hair rolled up in a towel and dressed in a thick robe John had found for her; she battled to give him a haircut. He was more nervous than he should have been, for someone who hadn't had a good trim for years. 'Be careful! I'm the one with the scissors,' she warned, showing him the object she could use against him. '...and you're being really picky for someone who cuts his hair with a knife. If I take too long your bath water will cool down.'

'I am still,' he insisted, tightening his grip on the towel around his neck. 'Shorter at the sides.'

She eyed him through the mirror that hung on the wall before them. 'Any more requests?'

Her tone made him chuckle. 'Well, don't cut it too short on the top, that's all.'

'Don't worry. I like it longer at the top too. I think it'll look good on you, the way I picture it.'

'Oh no,' he cried dramatically, mainly to tease her. 'Just be careful, all right.'

'Don't worry! I'm the only one who sees you anyway.'

'Well, exactly. I have someone to please now.' John joked with a wink and Anna couldn't help but shake her head - a smile followed as she gathered the courage to speak her mind next.

'I think you look good already,' she said, pretending not to give her admission too much importance as she examined his hair once more.

'You do?' Her words took him by surprise, and his eyes found her in the mirror. She didn't look back. Instead, she dampened his hair and parted it carefully before beginning the trim.

He observed her carefully. Her hands were working on his dark strands, massaging his scalp as she took hold of pieces before cutting with the rusty scissors. It took him to a place he didn't know existed. A perfect world, maybe. A functioning world that is. It took him back to that day they met at the junction of a pistol and dear life. Her eyes had the look of a cornered animal, and she was trembling, much like a late-blooming flower in the newly arrived Autumn wind. He had seen her soul that day, so thankful and yet suspicious, and the urge to take her in his arms and hold her had been overwhelming, even if, since then, he had tried to deny it. He figured it all out now, as he had not tried to back then, when decided to follow her, to keep her safe at a distance, cautious, as always. It had been an attraction, at an unknown level; he had been physically drawn to her, magnet-like. Now, it grew into something deeper. Something more human. More real. It was physical attraction, all right. One he could no longer deny.

This was bad though because he cared for her too much to lose her. He had something to lose again. It was also the best thing ever... just because.

 **xxx**

The water was tepid, but he didn't flinch when he settled into the tub. To him this was nothing. To him, knowing that she had bathed in this same water was enough to ignite any heat he needed now.

He grabbed the soap she had used and ran it along his arms and over his chest - maybe to revel in the remaining trace of her body on it, maybe to imagine her own touch - before rubbing it between his hands to wash his hair. Anna had done a good job, given the rusty scissors and her lack of practice. John smiled, thinking about it; her tongue poking out between her lips in concentration, her fingers touching him gently, tentatively. He let his head fall back, the soap slipped from his fingers, allowing himself some time to relax, to just be. _Two minutes only_. The words of that letter echoing inside his head. _Maybe three._ He still had the rest of his body to wash, and his stomach was starting to complain. _One more minute..._ to think of her without her presence, to allow himself this secret pleasure. _One more minute._

 **xxx**

Empty cans had been tossed in a garbage can in the kitchen, as if it mattered. Their bellies were full now, enjoying the heat of the fireplace as if this was well-deserved and natural. The kettle whistled, and Anna jumped, it was a sound she hadn't heard in a long time.

They had rummaged in drawers and closets finding warm, clean clothes; Anna's hair was still damp, and her cheeks were flushed from the heat of the fire. John studied her as she wrote in her diary, her tongue poking out once again. He was mesmerized by her loveliness.

'Are you writing about our warm bath and feast?' he asked her after a few minutes, trying to peek at her writing.

'Well...yes. Among other things,' she said, coyly.

'What other things?' He was curious now.

'Things.' She closed the diary, shooting him a look. 'Just things.'

'Fair enough.' He gave up with a chuckle.

'Maybe one day I'll let you read what I write.'

'I couldn't ask you that,' John said, facing her.

'You're not.' Her eyes were blue and deep, and she wore that playful smile better than anyone he has ever met. He lost himself in her, not for the first time.

Little did he know the same was happening to her.

It was the way he looked at her. Not exactly the warmth of his hazel eyes - although she too has lost herself in them often enough - but more how he does it. How he tilts his head to her, the crinkles that carve deep into his skin when he smiles, the steady, reassuring rise and fall of his chest as he breathes. And how quickly he can turn serious again. But it all remains there, even when he tries so hard to erase it. It remains there, on his blushed cheeks and the faint wrinkles of moments ago.

'Tea?' he broke their silence, and she nodded, still processing what he actually said.

'I need to go to the bathroom first.'

 **xxx**

'Look what I found! Isn't it beautiful?' Anna came running down the stairs, her aim to find a brush for her hair, but she had also found something else; a beautiful nightdress, made of a soft, thin cotton, embellished with delicate satiny ribbons. She had never even dreamed of touching anything so beautiful.

She danced around with the gown in her hands, and he watched, happily, pleased with her excitement.

'I always dreamt of wearing something as beautiful as this. I used to see stuff like this in old magazines my mother kept…' she sighed contently.

'Well, you can now,' John told her. She faced him at once, puzzled. 'To sleep in,' he explained. 'It is a nightdress.'

'Yes but...isn't it too much? I mean, this is a special piece, and it's so thin...'

'Well, tonight is a special night. And we have blankets and the fire to keep us warm,' he insisted, encouraging her to, at least, live out this one dream of hers. 'We're sleeping under a roof, in a proper house with a proper fireplace burning. We've had baths and haircuts,' he continued. 'Clean clothes, plenty of food to eat. Pillows even! Isn't that special enough?'

She brought one hand to her face, hiding her flushed skin and daring to agree. 'I guess you're right,' she said, her eyes sparkling.

'Go ahead, put it on. And if you want me to, I'll braid your hair.'

'You know how to braid?!'

'Better than most,' he answered proudly.

'All right.' She finally nodded, moving behind him to put on the nightdress. 'Now don't look!'

'I won't…' he sighed, doing his best.

* * *

 _Thank you for reading :)_

 _Let us know what you think of this story. Hope you all have a great week!  
_

 _ **Terrie & Handy**_


	10. Chapter 9

**_Disclaimer:_** _Same as chapter 1-8._

* * *

 _ **Heading South -**_ Chapter 9

 **x**

Anna twirled around showing off the nightdress. Much to John's distress, he was flooded with overwhelming feelings, those feelings one only knows of when it's there, right before one's eyes.

The ribbons on the gown shimmered in the dim light of the fireplace, now burning low and constant; so warm. And against that same light, the fabric became translucent. To his surprise, Anna appeared oblivious of this. He lowered his eyes.

'What do you think?'

'I think…' he swallowed hard, cursing himself for hiding yet another thing from her. '...it couldn't fit any better.' His eyes found her figure again, fast and sure, finding her face at once, but not entirely forgetting what he had already seen. 'It's very pretty.'

'Will you braid my hair now? I found a brush on the vanity,' she said, her naivety making him ache. Little did he know that some of her actions were thought through. She would tell him that one day.

'Of course! Sit down.'

Anna sat down between his legs on the mattress, the fire hitting her face like a gentle caress. His hands found her hair, taking the brush and running it languidly along her golden locks, savouring every second of this interaction, but fearing that too much would come of it. Hoping it would, anyway.

She closed her eyes to his touch, feeling his fingers separating her blonde strands, undoing every twist and damp knot, until the right moment, when he rested the brush aside and began to braid her hair with surprising ease.

'Isn't it rare for a man to know how to braid?' she asked him.

'Only one who lacks experience.'

His words made her think, remembering a conversation they had not long ago. 'Did you use to braid your daughter's hair?'

He stopped, only to return to his task a second later. 'How do you know I had a daughter?'

'You said you had children, and, well, if you know how to braid, then one had to be a girl. No?'

'A girl, yes, and a boy.'

'I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up.' Anna shook her head, regretting her questions already. She didn't have the right to cause him pain because of her curiosity. 'I shouldn't have.'

'Don't worry about it. I know way more about you than you know about me. It's only natural you're curious.' John reassured her, taking a deep breath before daring to continue. 'Martha and Anthony were their names.' He finished the braid, brushing its end.

She smiled, turning around to face him. 'Beautiful names.'

It was not only Anna's eyes that glistened in the firelight. It was everything, her expression and even his need to open up to her. He found himself wanting to share everything with this woman. He had been alone for so long, tied to a past he could not change, to memories that would never be more than just that. Surprisingly enough, only now, when he was no longer alone, did he understand that life was more than merely surviving.

'Martha was five and Anthony three. They were…' He stopped for a moment, trying not to choke on his own words. '... beautiful children, but unfortunately, they were also victims of all this chaos.'

'I'm so sorry,' she offered, placing her hand on his shoulder for support. John smiled at that. 'We've all lost someone; I know how you feel.'

'I know you do.'

'Although...losing a child must be one of the most terrible things.'

'It is,' he nodded, looking down at his hands; he still held the brush, and his heart ached as he remembered his children's faces. 'More terrible than losing your own life. I would trade gladly. I would have.'

'I know. But there's no such thing as trading places. We're given only one chance, and we have to live with that. Doing better every time. Even if we are not the ones to blame.'

John shook his head sadly. 'But, in this case, it was my fault.'

'I'm sure that's not true.'

'It is true. I should have been there. I knew it was bound to happen...she warned me more than once…'

'She? Who's she?'

'Nevermind.' John stood, placing the brush atop the hearth and bringing the folded blankets to the mattress. 'I...I don't want to talk about it now.'

'You don't have to. But, I'll be here whenever you do need to.'

'Thank you, Anna. You…' There was so much he wanted to tell her, but his courage failed him, especially knowing how much he could disappoint her. How much he had disappointed others, never intending to. He couldn't bear to see _that_ look in her eyes.

'You should sleep.' He handed one of the thick blankets. 'You must be tired.'

'And you too.'

'Yes. Me too.'

 **xxx**

When dawn broke, they still slept. Sometime during the night, they had rolled toward each other, and arms had found bodies. In their sleep, they embraced; her head against his chest, his breathing soothing her, his nose nuzzling the top of her head, holding her to him tight and sure. Maybe in dreams, they had known their state, but because they were dreaming it it didn't matter.

He woke up first, and daren't to break the spell, pretending to be dreaming still. He wanted only to take advantage of this stillness, of this peace, while they could.

And they wouldn't be able to for very long.

Precisely two days.

* * *

 _Thank you for reading :)_

 _Let us know what you think of this story. Hope you all have a great week!  
_

 _ **Terrie & Handy**_


	11. Chapter 10

_**Disclaimer:** Same aschapter 1-9._

* * *

 _ **Heading South**_ _\- Chapter 10_

 **x**

The warm wind blew gently in her dreams. A rose blush sunrise kissed the lush green grass, and the song of birds, known only to her through the memories of others, floated on the breeze. She was in wonder of it all. She did her best to picture that which she had never witnessed but longed for so badly. Greens, blues, rosy golden pinks - colours she had never seen in this misty grey world into which she had been born.

John was there, in her dream, holding his hand out to her, beckoning her to follow. She did; she always would. The sun lay ahead of them, resting on the edge of the horizon, but its warmth paled to the touch of his hand. Between her smile and his steady steps, they wandered deeper into a vast golden field of wildflowers, and she heard his voice call her name. So real... Gently at first... then urgently.

'Anna. Anna! Wake up.'

'What's happen - ?' Before she could finish her question, his palm was on her lips, as he brought one finger to his own.

'Sshhhh...they are coming.'

'Who?' Anna asked, still groggy from sleep, only for the realization to strike the next second. 'Oh no! Them?' she whispered.

'Just grab your stuff, quickly! We have to get out of here. Fast.'

 **xxx**

It was freezing outside and still dark. The car had no lights, driving into the village like a thief in the night. And that's exactly what they were, nothing but thieves; even worse than that. But not sneaking, in fact, they were loud and boisterous; no need for silence when one's in power, especially when that power is taken by brute force. The village was deserted - or so they thought - they had emptied it out many years ago.

'Are you sure it's here already?' One of the three men who climbed out of the car spoke, his breath noticeable when it came in contact with the cold air. They had parked in front of the store.

'Louis sent a message, didn't you hear!' an irritated voice barked back. 'They trade petrol every month here.'

'And what do we have to offer?' the driver asked, still new to this business.

The other, who had just shouted his answer, held up a gun and pointed to the back of the car. 'We're loaded with guns and ammunition, a few of our newest finds…' he smirked. 'Now check if there's anything else we can get from this place…'

'Haven't we been here before?'

'We have, but…' he nodded; clearly, the one who answered most of the questions. 'We have, and we took care of them. Now go!' he spat, eyeing the curious newbie with disdain. 'Look around! We're in need of clean water too.'

 **xxx**

'What are they doing here?' Anna cried, as the two pulled on their coats and boots. Time was running out. 'Don't they know there's no one left?'

'They're probably looking for something else?' John told her, looking outside through a hole in one of the boarded up windows, his hands instinctively checking for his pistol in his inside pocket. He couldn't see anything from this vantage point. Not good.

'For us?'

'I don't think so.' He reached for the shotgun then, slinging it by its strap over his shoulder. 'Come on, this way.'

 **xxx**

The men stood outside the store looking around. Three men armed with guns and bad intentions; dressed in dark, heavy clothing and boots. Two of them appeared to be in their thirties; the new one was probably not yet twenty years old. One was tall - the one who answered all the questions - and stood arrogantly, proud of things a human should not feel proud of at all. He had hooded eyes, grey as the weather, soulless, and a permanent obscene smirk on his lips. The second, was shorter, brown hair, scraggly beard, an angry, wild expression on his face. The third, the younger, trembled. Unsure if this was the life he wanted to pursue, but what else could he do? If you weren't with them, you were against them, and that was a dangerous place to be.

'Jack, get the bags from the boot of the car. We have to take them around to the back.'

The young man did as he was told. Opened the trunk, fumbled with the bags, took one, placed it on the snow... Then, straightening up, his eyes caught something else. 'Hey! Smoke,' he pointed to a house across the village square. The other two immediately looked to where the lad was pointing.

'Smoke?!' The angry looking man frowned, his mind already racing.

'There shouldn't be anyone here,' he stated, taking a firmer grasp on his gun.

'Maybe not before, but there sure as Hell is now. And…' The one with hooded eyes turned steely in anger, '... I bet I know who. Let's go!'

'Who? That one bloke and the girl?'

'Yeah...I lost track of 'em a few weeks ago…' He smirked then, grey eyes darkening and his hatred fading into an insane enjoyment. 'I guess our paths were meant to cross again.'

 **xxx**

'I'm so stupid!' John berated himself as they ran outside, through the back door, which led to an open backyard. Just behind dry bushes and those trees ahead, there was a cart they had found and filled with necessities, in case they had to leave in a rush, just like now.

'Why are you saying that?' Anna panted, following close behind.

'We shouldn't have burnt that fire!' he exclaimed, exasperated with himself. 'I didn't think properly. I should have! How stupid!'

'Why not?!'

'The smoke will give us away! If one thing will, it'll be the smoke. Stupid! We shouldn't even be here anymore!'

John continued cursing himself, zipping his jacket all the way up and opening a path in the snow for her. It was so hard to walk. He only hoped beyond hope the falling snow would cover up their footprints until they found shelter in the trees beyond.

'You think they'll find-'

And for the second time that morning, before she could say another word, he was pulling her to him, covering her mouth and bringing her to the ground. The cold and dampness had to be forgotten now. The backdoor burst open and from it three men, carrying guns and everything John didn't want to see in their faces, appeared.

They laid in the snow and cold and damp and fearing for dear life. The cart they had prepared was well hidden deep in the trees, but their footprints were still visible. And that's exactly what those soulless, grey eyes caught first. John cursed again, this time only to himself, as Anna shook against him.

' _They can't be far.'_

The men began to trudge single file through the deep snow, guns at the ready.

' _What about the car?'_ the young man asked.

' _The car? Let it be, we'll need it to carry extra passengers.'_ They laughed as the boy followed, and all Anna and John could do now was make a break for it.

'Run!'

 **xxx**

The cart had to be forgotten for now, and maybe forever. Their lives were more important at the moment. So they ran, as fast as they could, between bushes and trees. The voices of the hunters close behind them.

'We lost everything!'

John heard Anna cry and a piercing pain ran through his body. They had lost everything, how would they survive? If they ended up surviving today at all. The only things they had managed to bring with them were weapons and the clothes they wore. Mistake after mistake. He was failing at every basic law of survival. He was tired.

' _We're close!'_

But he couldn't give in to tiredness, especially for her. So they continued to run, zigzagging, rounding trees, sneaking in behind bushes, anything John could think of. At times he swore the men were stepping on their toes, other times he could hear their vicious whispers in his ears.

' _I see them! There! There!'_

A shot was heard, and Anna gasped; the bullet flying so close she felt the hot metal passing right over her feet.

' _No!'_ The hooded-eyed man slapped the back of his comrade's head, furious. 'Be careful with her! I want her very much alive, you idiot!

'I aimed for her legs-'

'Sshhh…' He brought one finger to his lips, and the other two listened carefully. 'They've stopped.'

Silence fell then. All they could hear was racing heartbeats and their own breathing. Time stood still.

'Are you all right?' John asked her, as quietly as he could. His eyes were flying from one tree to another, trying to spot their stalkers. He couldn't see a thing.

'Yes,' she whispered. 'Where are they?', doing her best to find the three dark figures in between grey and white nothingness.

'They know we stopped. They're preying on us.'

'John…'

'Shhhh…' John turned, facing her for a short moment, and managing to offer her a reassuring smile. 'I won't let anything happen. I promise.'

A promise he knew he couldn't keep, but, goddammit, he would do his best; if only to see her smile for a second or two. But it's always at times like these, often when an impossible promise is made, that events escalate so fast one hasn't time to think. And then suddenly the snap of a dry branch was heard, and John knew they had to run, again.

And so it began, once more. Hunter and prey, as if they were nothing but wild animals, trying to survive in a world too harsh for them.

And just like that, in a blink of an eye, John felt Anna reaching for the back of his jacket, not quite taking a proper grasp onto it. Her cry was heard, and when he looked back she was not there anymore.

'Anna!' he called, looking around in an angsty frenzy, doing his best not to make too much noise; no answer reached his ears. The only noise he could hear was of _them,_ walking fast, running, as if nothing and no one could stop them. 'Anna!'

'John!' They heard each other then, but dead nature and snow were making it all too hard to see. They were lost, from everything, and worse even, from each other.

In despair, John sat on the ground against a tree, his vision now catching the three armed men, not five meters away from him. They didn't have Anna - that was good - and he prayed that she had found a place to hide. If she succeeded, long enough for them to quit, he could later look for her. _Please, just hold on where you are, Anna. Please._

But to John's surprise, and shock, she was right there, behind a fallen branch, laying on the snow with her hands pressuring one of her legs. He couldn't see well, but he saw enough. The three approaching Anna, her hiding place a few steps away from them. If they looked down they'll see. _Oh God!_ If they looked down they'd see her. He wanted to cry, but couldn't. Instead, he took a hold of his shotgun, hoping he didn't have to use it, but sure he would just so he could keep his promise. He aimed to that one man who answered all the questions, and recognised him. With a frown, he took a deep breath. The grey eyed man was smiling, sure he was close. He was. Anna heard them just there - _just there_ \- mere centimeters away and held still. Everything stopped again.

John's finger was gently touching the trigger, as Anna laid there, eyes closed. The other two looked around and for marks on the ground, and the tall man they knew from that gunpoint of months before, was taking in the cold air, as a dog sniffing for his prey. It was all too messy, the snow falling, everything smelled of rotten wood, damp and freezing; the man squinted his soulless eyes. He was seeing something...

 _BANG!_

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 _Thank you for reading :)_

 _Let us know what you think of this story. Hope you all have a great week!  
_

 _ **Terrie & Handy**_


	12. Chapter 11

**A/N:** Thank you all for your reviews! It means so much to us. We know we don't post as often, but we are trying our best. And we also know there are other fics you guys want to see updated, but for now, we can't do more. Those fics are not forgotten for sure, we just don't know when we'll be back to them. Thank you for the support and patience.

 **Terrie & Handy xXx**

 **Disclaimer:** Same as chapter 1-10.

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 _ **Heading South -** Chapter 11_

 **x**

'John! Oh, John!'

The second time Anna spoke his name, it had been muffled by his own body. John wrapped his arms around her at once, holding her close, as if letting go of her now would be the end of everything. They remained like that for only a second; the dampness of the snow now allowed to be felt as both kneeled on the frozen ground.

'Oh, Anna! I'm sorry I lost you. It was all so fast. I'm sorry.'

'But you found me again.' She smiled at him as they broke apart. His eyes were wet, and as impossible as it seemed, sweat had gathered at his brow. 'You always manage to find me.'

'I...' He swallowed hard, wanting to say so much more, but for some reason, his courage failed him. Instead, he took her cold face in between his gloved palms holding her there; her eyes were grey, her skin was pale and frostbitten, and he had to hold back his tears. 'I did. I'll always find you.'

'They-'.

'I know, I know. I saw them.' He continued. 'I was ready to shoot, but then...Are you all right? Let me see your leg, are you hurt?'

'I'm fine,' she answered, only to put him at ease, but it didn't work. As soon as John touched her calve she cried out. It had been a nasty cut, made by some sharp rock.

'You're bleeding!' John examined the wound, trying his best not to hurt her.

'It's nothing. Really.' That come back earned her one of his looks and an eye roll.

'I'll have to go back to the cart. We have everything there.'

'But how?! What if they catch us?'

'Us? No, I'm going, and you stay here.'

'No way!' Anna exclaimed, trying to stand up, but failing with a wince.

'See? You have to stay here. You can't walk bleeding like that,' John insisted, looking around. 'And we have to find a better place to take care of you.

'Wait!' She spoke, holding him by the arm. 'It's dangerous.'

John sighed, knowing her words were true. 'But I have to try. Besides, something else has caught their attention. That shot...it came from the village.' Anna nodded. 'And I have to take advantage of that.'

'All right.'

 **xxx**

'They're getting away again?'

'I'm only giving them time to run. Thrill of the hunt, mate,' he smirked. 'But they're mine and don't you fuckin' doubt it. They're heading South, after all. And there's only one way South.'

'There's Louis!'

The scenery the three men found was not much different from their daily lives. Before the store, were another group of men, six or seven of them. They stood in a circle, speaking loudly about what had just happened. In the middle of the group laid on the ground a freshly dead man, killed with a shot on the side of his neck. The warm blood froze in the snow, dark ruby red. A fight. A disagreement. When evil people come together, it's easy for death to come invited as well.

It was all a business. Some days they traded weapons and gas, other days people. That's how these men ran this World.

 **xxx**

It didn't take John long to drag the cart all the way from the place they had hidden it to where Anna waited for him now. In fact, he had been fast. Faster than predicted, afraid those men would catch him. He didn't fear for himself, no, he feared for Anna. Bringing her through this had become his reason for living. If anything happened to her, John would never forgive himself.

'I'm back!' He announced with ragged, gasping breath, too obvious he had almost run to her. Then, he gestured toward the cart and told her to sit on it.

'I can walk, you know.' Anna said, pursing her lips.

'Yes, but you'll be even slower. We need to take care of that wound first.'

'Even slower? Are you saying I slow you down?' she asked playfully, and for a moment John didn't know what to say. His cheeks turned a bit red, and he avoided her eyes, fiddling with some cans of food to make space for her.

'I have longer legs,' he tried to excuse himself. 'I walk better in the snow, that's all.'

Anna laughed. 'I slow you down.'

'You don't, really.' John finally sighed and looked at her, 'Now, please, hop on the cart so we can get a move on. I don't trust these woods, and they might be close.'

'Alright, alright.'

Anna couldn't help but giggle now, as John began to push the cart with some difficulty. She sat atop cans of food and blankets, and the terrain was uneven. The snow was deep, and of course, the wheels didn't make much justice to their cause.

'I think I'm slowing you down more by making the cart even heavier.'

'Just leave it be,' he told her in a huffed breath, already sweating. 'Just sit still.'

 **xxx**

'Now, let's see.'

Anna hopped off the cart by herself, and to John's worry, she winced when she hit the ground. They had, or better, he had dragged that cart for a few hours, stopping here and there to take a deep breath and to make sure she was alright. She always said yes and offered to walk for a bit, and he always said no and began dragging the cart faster, just to prove her wrong.

'Told you it would start getting worse as it warmed up. We can't risk gangrene.'

'Gangrene!' Anna exclaimed in terror.

'Don't worry; it won't. If you do as I say.'

'I'll do as you say.'

'Good. Let me see now.' He helped her sit down on a fallen trunk and kneeled before her. 'I'll have to cut your trousers at the knee. I have to clean the wound, maybe stitch it.'

'Stitch it?!'

John couldn't help but grin then. 'Maybe. Maybe not. Don't you trust me?'

'I...I do. Of course.' Anna smiled, and he took his knife, sliding the blade inside the trousers' leg and ripping it apart. 'Doesn't look as bad as I thought...I'm going to boil some water to clean it all up. Sit still.'

'And are we staying here for the night?'

'Well…' he looked around, wrinkling his nose at their surroundings. 'I can build the tent against that tree. I don't think we can walk more today. It's getting dark.'

'Is it safe?'

He stood up then, scratched the back of his head, kicked some fallen sticks that he would certainly use for the fire, and took a deep breath before facing her again. 'There's no such thing as a safe place. But I promise you I will keep _you_ safe.'

Anna smiled, believing every word. 'I know you will. I trust you with my life.'

She took hold of his hand, only to make her point, but her gesture awoke something else. Something that had been dormant until then, silent and fearing to come out. A mixture of feelings both had nourished but tried not to think about too much, after all, how could one dream, hope, plan, in a world like this…

A world that was often forgotten when their eyes met, if only for a matter of seconds. Not now, though. Now, with the warmth of her hand on his, he looked at her, lost in the depth of those soft blue eyes.

'I need to tell you something.' she whispered, glancing down at their hands, and he kneeled before her once again.

'What is it?' John asked, caressing her knuckles with his thumb, hoping for those words he also wanted to share with her. Would he dare? Would her honesty give him the courage to confess it all?

'I…love you, John.'

And his courage came, in the expression of a kiss.

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 **Thank you for reading :)**


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